


Scars

by percyinpanties



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: M/M, Past Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-13
Updated: 2015-09-13
Packaged: 2018-04-20 15:34:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4792898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/percyinpanties/pseuds/percyinpanties
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jason finds out</p>
            </blockquote>





	Scars

For the first time, Percy is there when Jason wakes up in the morning. Jason wants to hope it’s not just because he woke up before Percy could sneak away this time, but the soft rise and fall of Percy’s shoulders against Jason’s chest tells him otherwise.

Nevertheless, last night had been strange. Percy wasn’t overly affectionate often, and even rarer in the way he had been last night. Something must have triggered it, maybe Jason or one of their friends had said something wrong, but this evening when Jason came to his cabin, he had found Percy already waiting there. Their kisses had been unusually sweet and slow and every time Jason had tried backing away, Percy had pulled him straight back in.

Right now, Percy looks more at peace. Whatever strange urge had taken him over last night, Jason can’t find any trace of it now. Percy sleeps peaceful curled against Jason’s slightly larger frame like it’s the place he always has belonged. To Jason, it is.

When the sun filters in through the large windows on the back of Cabin One with the first light of dawn, it catches on Percy’s tan skin. Jason knows it is sappy to think so, but he has never seen Percy as anything but beautiful, even though Percy doesn’t often bare himself like he is now. The sheets are polled around their waists and Jason doesn’t find it in himself to resist pressing a kiss to the nape of Percy’s neck, then further on to his shoulder.

Jason can’t recall a time that he has seen Percy shirtless before this thing between them has begun, and even after, Percy only ever let Jason fully undress him in the dark. Until now, Jason has never really thought anything of it, but now with the sun catching on Percy’s smooth skin, Jason begins to wonder.

Like himself, Percy’s skin is littered with smaller an bigger scars from too many battles fought in their lives, but unlike on Jason’s pale complexion, Percy’s tanned skin makes them stand out a little more. Jason doubts it’s that when he moves along to kiss the broadest of Percy’s scars, the tissue still puffy under his lips. They are always visible, too many of them to hide and Percy has never struck Jason as the kind to be bothered by things as superficial as this anyway.

Of course, the peace doesn’t hold forever, eventually Percy stirs and with a yawn rolls away just a little from Jason and onto his stomach. He doesn’t seem to be quite awake yet, so Jason just props himself up on an elbow and waits. No matter how hard he tries, Jason can’t keep his eyes from wandering though and soon enough they trace over the line of Percy’s arms, his shoulders and down his back… until they catch on something strange.

Jason has explored most of Percy’s body with his hands and his lips, he knows the precise place of a battle scar Percy has on his side that stands out to the touch, but that… he hasn’t noticed that before. Percy is sensitive about turning his back to Jason, he prefers to face him in whatever it is they’re doing apart from the cuddles at the end of the night, and Jason also knows Percy doesn’t like being held down in any way. Seeing the three round scars at the dip of Percy’s spine right before the blanket covers the curve of Percy’s ass, Jason feels bad for never having wondered where Percy’s aversion to these things come from.

The scars are not from a fight, not from one with a monster at least… or maybe just not with monster that would turn to dust once you cut it. Those are burns, and even though Jason knows he shouldn’t, he traces over the scars with gentle fingers now. Burns just big enough to have come from a cigarette. Jason wrecks his mind for an explanation, but comes up empty.

Anger boils up inside Jason’s chest and his jaw clenches without him noticing. The hand not caressing Percy’s skin balls into a fist, his face into a frown. Whoever did this, Jason feels the urge to tear them in two with his bare hands.

“Don’t.” Percy’s voice is small and so unlike his usual demeanour that it startles Jason more than it should. He flinches away, blinks, and only then manages to meet Percy’s eyes.

“You’re awake.” He says instead of any of the many questions buzzing through his head and with the same gentleness from before, pushes Percy’s messy hair out of his eyes.

“And you’ve been watching me sleep like a creep.” Percy mumbles, half sitting up before he seems to think better of it and scoots closer, right into Jason’s arms without him having to offer. This is new, too. “Or a sap.” Percy adds after a moment and it almost sounds like he would be smiling if it wasn’t for the obvious question hanging in the air. It takes all of Jason’s restraint not to ask, but to allow Percy to offer the answers himself when he is ready.

When Percy tells him, two weeks later and on one of the few mornings he has begun to stay now, Jason has a hard time not getting up and punching a wall. Maybe the way he’s holding Percy tight like he’s trying to protect him from all the evils of the world is ridiculous, especially because now Percy is more than skilled enough and strong enough and old enough to stand up for himself. But it makes them both feel better, and Percy doesn’t object to the gentle comfort. Jason dries Percy’s tears without saying anything he knows Percy won’t want to hear, rubs his back and peppers his face with tiny pecks. There’s a confession on the tip of his tongue that he swallows like a hot coal, now is not the time, not when everything just started to be out in the open between them.

Sally never knew. In fact, beside Jason now, only Annabeth had ever caught on, and by then, the man that haunts Percy even now had been dead and turned to stone. The fate seems far too merciful for Jason, but he doesn’t say it, no need to upset Percy with his anger.

After that, something shifts between them. Percy stops running, stops hiding away and Jason is not sure if he’s imagining it, but to him Percy seems more free now. The next time he feels the words threatening to break out of his chest, he doesn’t hold them back. He’s rewarded with a kiss that seems to promise that one day, Percy might be able to do the same.


End file.
